Local Food
Farm groups criticize ethanol policy changes at EPA hearing
Thursday was not the day to switch places with Chris Grundler. Grundler, the director of the Office of Transportation and Air Quality at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, was in charge of the EPA’s one in-person hearing about proposed changes to U.S. ethanol policy. More than 250 people signed up to speak at the hearing,…
Bringing farmers-market energy to a local KC cafe
The sidewalk ends in hard-packed dirt at 1708 Oak Street. There are triangle impressions left by the tires of earthmovers as contractors work on the courtyard in front of Howard’s – a new grocery and café concept from Craig Howard that is slated to open later this summer. “This opens us up to a whole…
The Field of Dreams and Wine
The Berggren family just wanted a new home for their pumpkin patch. Logistics Park Kansas City and the BSNF intermodal were set to come online in Edgerton, Kansas, two years ago and the KC Pumpkin Patch was going to lose its lease in neighboring Gardner. “My folks have always wanted to run the pumpkin patch,”…
A KC incubator for food and flavor
After two decades in the tile and flooring business, Shannon Kimball made the decision to pursue his barbecue business, Firebug, full-time. But when he headquartered at a 6,000 square foot building on Troost, he knew that it was likely too large for just one business. That’s how Flavor Trade, an incubator for KC food entrepreneurs, was born.
KC Collaboration, caffeinated
Bo Nelson always envisioned Thou Mayest as a place where entrepreneurs could get together to hash out the details of their next project. But what Nelson didn’t anticipate when the coffee shop opened 11 months ago in the Crossroads was just how often those meetings would be about his own projects.
Fighting Junk-Food Marketing, in KCK
For customers stepping inside Abarrotes Delicias, the noise, traffic and heat of the surrounding Kansas City, Kansas, neighborhood seem to disappear. The small store offers everything from tacos to snacks to money transfers – or just an air-conditioned place to hang out and watch TV on a lazy afternoon. Owner Graciela Martinez says she tries to provide a welcoming personal touch when serving her customers, who comprise a diverse sample of nearby residents.
A gluten-free pantry, for those who really need it
Whatever someone’s route to gluten-free living might be, they soon find out it’s a bigger change than just giving up baked goods. “It’s expensive,” says Karen Miller, a retired dietitian who helped out at the Wednesday open house of the ReNewed Health Allergy Friendly and Gluten Free Food Pantry in Overland Park, Kansas.
A classic, revived: Donuts and dining at the Ladybird
On a recent Wednesday afternoon, Meg Heriford is busy making the rounds. The proprietor of the Ladybird Diner, which has been closed for smoke damage repairs since March, stands in front of a stainless steel prep table in the kitchen at Pachamama’s – the well-known Lawrence eatery that closed in February.
An artist-chef, in reverse: Ferran Adrià at the Nelson
“Ferran Adrià: Notes on Creativity,” on view at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art through Aug. 2, successfully showcases the process of a master chef, but may leave you questioning the unfamiliar taste.
American League Champs, let’s eat
There is no spring training for eaters. You – the hot dog aficianados and ice cream helmet-scooping public – will have to go in and not know exactly whether your appetite (and intestinal fortitude) is going to show up for Opening Day at Kauffman Stadium. The Kansas City Royals, the reigning American League Champions, will…









